Ristorante Belmond Hotel Cipriani

Ristorante Belmond Hotel Cipriani is the formal restaurant of the Cipriani hotel on the island of Giudecca in Venice, in Italy's Veneto region. It is reached by the hotel's own boat service and is set apart from the main tourist circuit across the canal from San Marco. The listing calls it a legendary Venice institution and the birthplace of the Bellini cocktail and of Carpaccio, both associated with the Cipriani name. The kitchen serves polished Italian fine dining, treating fish and lagoon ingredients with a light, classic touch rather than heavy sauces. The signature items are the Carpaccio Cipriani, served thin-sliced with its named mustard-based sauce, the Bellini cocktail, and pasta al cartoccio. The dining areas are formal, with waterside terrace seating looking back toward San Marco, and the noise level is low and the service polished. Dress is smart, and visitors usually dress up for dinner. The restaurant opens daily for lunch (12PM-2:30PM) and dinner (7PM-10:30PM). Reservations are essential on +39 041 520 7744. Booking well ahead is advised, particularly for terrace tables in the warmer months, and the boat crossing from San Marco should be factored into the evening timing. Prices are at the top of the scale ($$$$). Lunch is a more relaxed way to visit, with daylight on the water and a less ceremonial mood than dinner, and a Bellini at the bar is a lower-cost way to visit the setting. The restaurant suits special occasions and visitors interested in the culinary history of the city, and it offers a quieter view of Venice from across the water than the crowded waterfront of the main island.